Never underestimate the power of Cotton-Eyed Joe. Specifically, the recorded version by the Rednexx

I've been doing some dances for tweens and teens using recorded music recently.  With one group in particular, all teens, I've started up with Cotton-Eyed Joe -- then done something traditional then switch back to a line dance they know like Cupid Shuffle, then some more trad stuff -- and back to The Electric Slide (and the parents join in) and alternate to trad material. 

Works well in East Stroudsburg, PA anyway.

FYI -- with cotton-Eyed Joe -- the Rednexx cut is pretty long and it gets to be a forced march at the end so . . . this from Pat Cannon who I have subcontracted some gig for

Have dancers identify a "partner" and stand next to him/her

Do Cotton-Eyed Joe twice through -- then facing partner do hand claps (rt/rt/rt, l/l/l/, both, both, both, knees, knees, knees and then elbow rt. swing /left  elbow swing (do all that twice through)

Then back to Cotton-Eyed Joe, and keep alternating.

I was pretty skeptical when Pat told me what she was doing, but it works very well. Best part of a big father/daughter dance recently -- girls got their dads up as partners, dads stumbled through Cotoon-Eyed Joe. A lot of fun.

Ridge

(In New Joisey)

On Tue, Feb 2, 2016 at 1:43 PM, 'Marian Rose' marian@marianrose.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Hello all

 

Marian Rose here. I have been lurking on this listserve for several years, but don't join in since I haven't been actively calling squares or contras lately.

 

I am preparing for several conferences where I will be giving a session entitled 'Folk Dancing for Teens'.

It is an age group that I love to work with, and I happen to believe that they are the ones who should be dancing, even more than us old folks.

 

I am currently writing a philosophical and historical introduction for my handout, and would love some input from all of you.

1. Why is folk/social dancing so important for teens?
2. Why do people (teens and teachers) so often shy away from it?
3. Do we have to give them music that they are used to hearing, or is it valid to present 'older' music that is nevertheless thrilling and that has excited generations of young people before them?
4. How does dancing help with teen angst and courtship?
5. What are some of your best experiences working with teens? Your own stories dancing as a teen?

 

If you want to include some of your favourite 'reel-in-the-adolescents' dances, that would be great. I have my favourites, but increasingly will use anything at all, if it feels right.

 

I look forward to your thoughts!

 

--- Marian, in Quebec, where it is cold, clear and stunningly beautiful.

 

Marian Rose
CP 8162, 150 rue Racine Est
Chicoutimi, QC   G7H 5B7
(418) 545-6603 (maison)
(581) 234-1614 (cellulaire)
www.marianrose.com

--

Ridge Kennedy [Exit 145]
When you stumble, make it part of the dance. - Anonymous

And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh. - Friedrich Nietzsche